NEWTON ABBOT

This simulation is based on the lay-out at Newton Abbot as it was in the 1950's. There were some changes over this period but these were only minor. During the 1960's and 1970's, the Teigh Valley and Moretonhampstead branch were closed, allthough the line upto Heathfield survived as a freight branch. During later years, the station area, the Hackney yard area and Aller Jn all have been substantially reduced and remodelled.

The simulation includes not only Newton Abbot itself but the stations and junctions in a wider area, including the main line along the famous "sea wall" between Starcross and Teignmouth, the full Moretonhampstead branch and the Teign Valley branch as far as Christow. It includes the areas controlled by 15 signal boxes.


Signal and Points numbering.

The original numbers have been used as much as possible, but to distinguish between the various boxes, these were 'shifted' by multiples of 100, or were given an identification using a letter code. Note that this letter is used as prefix on signal-numbers but, for technical reasons, as suffix to points numbers.

The numbers and letters used are (from left to right) :

Main Line :
Aller Jn              : prefix A
Newton Abbot West     : 000 - 199
Newton Abbot East     : 201 - 499
Hackney Yard          : 501 - 599
Bishopsteignton       : prefix BT
Teignmouth Old Quay   : prefix Q
Teignmouth            : prefix T
Parson's Tunnel       : prefix PT
Dawlish               : prefix D
Dawlish Warren        : prefix W

Moretonhampstead branch :
Heathfield            : prefix H
Bovey                 : prefix B
Lustleigh             : prefix L
Moretonhampstead      : prefix M

Teign Valley branch :
all signals           : prefix V (see information below)

Fringe boxes :
Stoneycoombe siding   : prefix S (Main line West, towards Totnes)
Starcross             : prefix X (Main line East, towards Exeter)
Kingskerswell         : prefix K (Branch line, towards Torquay)
Christow              : prefix C (Teign Valley branch, towards Exeter)

Approach Control

For semaphore signalling, the rule (rule 39A) applied that for a sequence of signals which had no intermediate or combined distant signal, if the last signal in this sequence could not be cleared, all preceding signals had to be kept at 'danger' at the approach of the train and could only be cleared if the speed of the train was sufficiently reduced. This is partly simulated by using approach control for signals to which this applies. Please refer to the route list for details on which signals this applies.


Junction Signals

In certain positions where junction signals were used and where the diversion route has significant lower speed, the signal will only clear to yellow when a diverging route is set. Please refer to the route list for details on which signals this applies.

Distant Signals

Stand-alone distant signals are not shown on the display, as they cannot be worked by the operator nor do they directly affect the running of the trains.
Just for information, locations of stand-alone distant signals are listed in the station details below.

Additional information

Additional information is listed per signal-box. This includes specific notes, platform lengths etc.
This also includes the names and abbreviations used for various yards and sidings, to ease identification. These are listed in tables showing : name as used on display, length of siding, abbreviation used for buffer stop label.
Platform and siding lengths are shown in units, a unit is equivalent to an engine, a passenger coach or 3 freight wagons.
Note that length of the platforms at unsignalled halts are not relevant as thes platforms will accept any length of train.

Banking arrangements west from Newton Abbot

Virtually all freight trains continuing west on the Down Main Line from Hackney Yard were banked from Aller Junction Goods Loop up Dainton Bank to Dainton Sidings where the banker was detached and returned to Aller Junction.  Similarly, Up freights were banked from Totnes to Dainton Sidings with the banker returning to Totnes.  Bankers were stabled at both Aller Junction and Totnes for this purpose, returning to their starting point light engine. In the Up direction all freight trains stopped at Signal A03 on the Up Main Line opposite Aller Junction Goods Loop in order to 'Pick-up' (release) their train brakes after coming down Dainton Bank from Dainton Sidings.

As banking is not possible because the simulation does not allow engines to be attached to both sides of a train, the assisting engines are worked as pilots.

Aller Jn

A separate stopping location named Aller Jn Up Main is located at signal A03, and stops for trains which have to release the brakes as indicated above are included in the timetable at this location.
Another stopping point in this area is signal A38, shown in the timetable as separate location named Aller Jn Down Relief.
The timing points for trains passing the junction is just east of the crossing, in between the crossing and the cross-overs.
The Goods Loop has been made a separate location named Aller Jn Goods.

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding A02 on Up Main.

Sidings and loops :
Goods Loop : 18 units
Goods Loop end siding : 1 unit  (AGL)
Siding on Down Branch : 3 units (ASD)


Newton Abbot :

platforms :
All platforms were worked as half platforms; short trains could be stopped at either half, long trains must be signalled through to the end. The Up Through and Down Through line have timing poins at the end only (in front of sigs. 403 and 15 respectively) so trains being held halfway are not incorrectly timed as stopping at the station in that location.

The Loco Siding (at NA West), Carriage Sidings (1, 2 and 3), Engine Siding and Middle Siding have all been defined as separate locations so trains can be timed from the station to these sidings and v.v.

Signal 089 on the Loco Siding was in reality much closer to signal 071 (about 1/3 down from 71), but for the simulation it has been moved close to 059 in order to be able to make a more efficient use of the Loco Siding, which can now hold 6 engines between sigs. 071 and 089.
Signal 264 covered both the exit from the East Sidings and the spur from the carriage sidings / loco shed (spur from sig. 282). As the simulation cannot handle a signal covering two separate lines, an additional signal (267) is placed on the spur, with 264 covering the exit from the East Siding only.

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding 205 on Moretonhampstead branch.

Lengths :
Platform 1      :  6 units
Platform 2      :  9 units
Platform 1+2    : 16 units
Platform 3      :  8 units
Platform 4      : 10 units
Platform 3+4    : 19 units
Platform 5      :  7 units
Platform 6      :  9 units
Platform 5+6    : 17 units
Platform 7      :  9 units
Platform 8      :  6 units
Platform 7+8    : 20 units
Platform 9      :  6 units

Down through (total) : 15 units
Up through (total)   : 19 units

Sidings :
Loco siding   : sigs.  71 -  89 : 6 units
Middle siding : sigs. 301 - 314 : 1 unit
Engine siding : sigs. 362 - 318 : 4 units

Carr siding 1, 2 and 3 : 10 units

Loco siding spur :  2 units (NWL)
Up Refuge siding : 18 units (NRS)
Dock Siding      :  4 units (NDB)


Hackney Yard :

Up freight trains running into Hackney yard were generally stopped on No. 2 Up Goods, and then would reverse to either Down Main (sigs. 278) or Goods line (sigs. 280) and taken into the yard. At moments when there is no traffic on the Down main, they could be taken into No. 1 Up Goods. It was also possible to run through Hackney and reverse at sigs. 530, but this was not often done as this move would block the Up Main while waiting for a path accross the Down Main.

The spurs (Hackney West Spur, and spurs 1, 2 and 3) have been defined as a separate location so engines can be timed between the yard, the spurs and the main sidings.

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding 502 on Down Main

Length sidings:
No. 2 Up Goods   : 23 units
No. 1 Up Goods   : 18 units (upto sig. 551)
Down Goods       : 20 units

Length spurs :
West Spur        :  2 units (YWS)
Spur No. 1       :  3 units (YS1)
Spur No. 2       :  3 units (YS2)
Spur No. 3       :  7 units (YS3)


Bishopsteignton :

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding BT2 on Up Main;
preceding BT7 on Down Main.


Teignmouth Old Quay :

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding Q18 on Up Main.

Lengths :
Up Spur (between sigs. Q07 and T07) : 9 units
End siding up spur : 3 units (QSP)


Teignmouth :

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding T30 on Down Main.

Lengths :
Platform 1 : 6 units (longer trains accepted)
Platform 2 : 9 units (upto sigs. T23) (longer trains accepted)
Up Spur    : 5 units (6 units between T14 and T20)
Goods Shed : 3 units
Docks      : 4 units (TUD)

Full length up spur between sigs. Q07 and T20 : 19 units


Parson's Tunnel :

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding PT2 on Down Main;
preceding PT5 on Up Main.

This box was generally only opened on summer saturdays.


Dawlish :

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding D02 on Up Main;
preceding D24 on Down Main.

Lengths :
Platform 1 : 9 units (longer trains accepted)
Platform 2 : 9 units (longer trains accepted)
Goods Shed : 7 units (DGS)
Up Siding  : 2 units (DUS)
Spur       : 3 units (DSP)


Dawlish Warren :

Up side : for trains calling at Dawlish Warren, the passenger platform is located between sigs. W21 and W05, the freight loop timing point is located between W29 and W09.
Down side : for trains calling at Dawlist Warren, the passenger platform is located in front of sig. W58, the freight loop timing point is located in front of W52. Signal W58 was added as the simulation requires a signal to separate the two platforms.

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding W02 on Up Main;
preceding W57 on Down Main.

Lengths :
Platform 1 :  9 units - longer trains accepted but these will not stand clear of points 18W.
Platform 2 :  9 units - longer trains accepted, total length stretching back to sig. W48 is 17 units
Up Goods   :  9 units, total length from W09 back to W21 : 22 units
Down Goods :  7 units between W52 and W58, total 24 units back to W48
Up Siding  :  4 units (WUS)
Spur       :  7 units (WSP)


Moretonhampstead branch.

Heathfield :

On platform 1, passenger trains to the Teign Valley branch were stopped at sig. H06, but trains for Moretonhampstead were routed through to H04.
Additional timing points for freight trains (named Heathfield West) are created in front of sigs. H02 and H55, these are used to stop freight trains which are to shunt the various sidings.

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding H01 in Down direction;
preceding H58 in Up direction;
preceding H57 on Teign Valley branch.

Lengths :
Platform 1    :  5 units upto H06, 7 units if routed to H04 (longer trains accepted)
Platform 2    :  6 units (longer trains accepted)
Bay platform  :  6 units
Bay siding    :  8 units
Refuge siding :  7 units

Heathfield West : Down (between sigs. H02 and H09) : 5 units
Heathfield West : Up   (between sigs. H55 and H15) : 6 units


Bovey :

Stand alone distant signal :

preceding B02 in Down direction;
preceding B16 in Up direction.

Lengths :
Platform 1 :  7 units (longer trains accepted), total length of loop : 9 units
Platform 2 :  7 units (longer trains accepted), total length of loop (Up direction only) : 9 units
Goods Shed :  5 units (BGS)
Siding     :  5 units (BSD)


Lustleigh :

Stand alone distant signal :
preceding L12 in Down direction;
preceding L02 in Up direction.

Lengths :
Plaform      :  5 units (longer trains accepted)
Goods Siding :  4 units


Moretonhampstead :

The engine shed has been made a separate location so timed moves can be defined for engines between the station or goods yard and the shed.

Stand alone distant signal :
Fixed distance was placed preceding M12.

Lengths :

Platform        :  4 units, total length between M01 and M03 : 7 units
Spur beyond M04 :  2 units
Spur beyond M21 :  3 units
Loop            :  5 units (between points 08M and 22M)
Engine shed     :  1 unit


Teign Valley branch.

On the Teign Valley branch, there were no signals between Heathfield and Christow. Allthough Trusham had a signalbox, this was used to work points only. All other locations were controlled by ground frames.
The simulation however requires signals for moves into and out of sidings, and to control access to loops. To simulate the situation without signals as close as possible, only shunt signals were used where required, except for signals controlling the exit of the main running lines at Trusham.
Passenger trains and through freight trains should be signalled straight through from Heathfield to Trusham and from Trusham to Christow and v.v., so from H08 to V24 and V24 to C01 for Up direction, and C28 to V26 and V26 to H57 for Down direction. Other moves must be signalled between the required shunt signals.

Lengths :
Chudleigh loop   :  6 units
Chudleigh siding :  3 units (CHS)
Note that trains can not be held on the main line at Chudleigh, the loop should be used for shunts only and not for passing trains.

Trusham :
Down platform :  4 units, total loop 18 units
Up platform   :  4 units, upto points 33V 7 units, total loop 18 units
Siding        :  5 units (TRS)

Note that freight trains which are to be held in the Down loop should not be given a stopping time as this would stop them at the platform and not at sig. V26.
Also note that the sidings at Trusham can only be worked by Down trains as there is no run-round facility for Up trains at the east end of the station.

Ashton loop     :  7 units
Ashton Siding 1 :  4 units (AS1)
Ashton Siding 2 :  6 units (AS2)
Note that trains can not be held on the main line at Ashton, the loop should be used for shunts only and not for passing trains.

Opening picture

The opening picture shows 5055 "Earl of Eldon" at Newton Abbot on a Liverpool to Plymouth train on Saturday, May 5th, 1962. The picture was taken by Mike Roach, and is included in a photo gallery of the Plymouth to Exeter main line on www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk. Our thanks to both that site and Mike Roach for their permission to use this picture.

Acknowledgements

This simulation was developed by Rob Roeterdink using the PC-Rail Development software supplied and supported by John Dennis, proprietor of PC-Rail.

As ever, thanks to the efforts of the PC-Rail test team for their work to ensure this simulation is correct and as authentic as possible, in particular to Alan Ashley, Peter Dean, Dave Howell, Peter Mould and Mike Suggate.
